Elmer Bernstein, Composer and Conductor

Today we have a special post devoted to the distinguished film composer and conductor Elmer Bernstein (1922-2004). There's a a newly transferred 1958 LP, Backgrounds for Brando, plus remastered versions of two other albums I have offered before - and a reminder about one of his most famous scores.

Bernstein: Backgrounds for Brando

The title of this Dot LP is a little misleading, in that it might suggest that Bernstein wrote these "backgrounds for Brando." In actuality, he wrote none of the music, although he does indeed conduct the various pieces. (Also, it might suggest that the better-known Leonard Bernstein is conducting.)

Elmer Bernstein's LPs fall into three categories: single-film soundtrack LPs, compilations of his own work, and compilations of other film composers. This one of course falls into the third category; the other albums below contain his own music.

The selections for Backgrounds for Brando are presented in no particular order. The actor's first big success, A Streetcar Named Desire, leads off side two, with the music that Alex North wrote to depict Blanche.

Also included are one of the themes that Bernstein's namesake Leonard wrote for On the Waterfront, and music from the following films: Sayonara (Franz Waxman), Viva Zapata (Manuel Ponce), The Men (Dimitri Tiomkin), Guys and Dolls (Frank Loesser), The Teahouse of the August Moon (Saul Chaplin), Désirée (Alfred Newman and Ken Darby), Julius Caesar (Miklós Rózsa) and The Wild One (Leith Stevens). The excerpt from The Men is the theme "Love Like Ours," which has appeared here recently in a Lisa Kirk vocal collection. This blog has an extensive post devoted to the music from The Wild One as well.

I should mention that the title Backgrounds for Brando should be taken in the broadest sense. Marlon doesn't appear in the Guys and Dolls scene where the selection on the LP (the "Fugue for Tinhorns") is performed.

Themes from the General Electric Theater

I went ahead and remastered the LP Themes from the General Electric Theater, even though I posted it only four years ago, because I thought I could improve the sound. This is one of the LPs where the music is both composed and conducted by Bernstein.

The themes were all written for the 1958-59 season, the program's first. (Yes, its host was future president Ronald Reagan.) The music is excellent and very well performed and recorded.

From watching this show 60 years ago, I still remember the General Electric theme that Bernstein wrote ("Emblem") and the end title background ("Progress"), both of which are wonderful, sweeping pieces of "Old Hollywood" music.

The link for this LP is in the comments to this post and the original post.

Movie and TV Themes Composed and Conducted by Elmer Bernstein

This fine 1962 LP got lost in the shuffle when I posted it eight years ago along with miscellaneous other material. Here is what I wrote then:

"The great film composer conducting some of his best swaggering jazz themes, leading off with the tremendous 'Rat Race.' Played by a stellar ensemble of West Coast musicians."

All true, but it doesn't convey the impact of this excellent record, or its presentation. For one thing, the back cover has information about not only who plays on the LP (a who's who of studio musicians), but the soloists and arrangers (Jack Hayes, Leo Shuken and Ruby Raksin - three old hands at the studios). One of the producers was Tommy Wolf, the songwriter. The label was Choreo, which was owned by Fred Astaire, Wolf, Bernstein and drummer Jackie Mills.

Interestingly, Bud Shank, best known for playing the alto saxophone and flute, plays baritone sax here, and contributes some outstanding solos.

The LP features several of Bernstein's lesser known pieces, but one of the more familiar items is the Sweet Smell of Success theme, which has appeared here before (and is about to do so again - see below).

The link to this LP can be found in the comments to this post and the original post.

Sweet Smell of Success

Bernstein's score to Sweet Smell of Success dates to the early years of the blog. I remastered it a few years ago, and it is still available via the original post.

Here is what I said about Bernstein back then: "Bernstein has an enormous reputation among film music aficionados, although among the general public he doesn't have 1/100 of the reputation of his namesake Lenny - no relation. This is a relatively early score, and a particularly strong one."

Highly recommended - as are all these records.